Building a Greener Future Together: Circular Economy Innovation Through Community-Engaged Research and Data Insight

Mostafa Sabbaghi, PhD

My research focuses on sustainability and the circular economy—reducing waste and maximizing resource use through reuse, repair, and recycling. I aim to tackle pressing community challenges like waste reduction, consumption behavior change, and environmental issues by working with local residents, industry partners (e.g., Mill.com), and municipal agencies.

Over the next three semesters, my goals are:

Build Strategic Partnerships – Collaborate with community and industry stakeholders to define research priorities, focusing on AI-powered waste coaching and sustainable consumption. I will also recruit students through credit-based courses in AI, data analytics, and behavioral science, while securing initial funding.
Launch and Refine Pilot Projects – Implement research pilots, collect data, and iterate based on community feedback. Results will be shared through public events, digital reports, and workshops to ensure transparency and shared learning.
Develop Industry-Focused AI Tools – Co-create AI-driven tools that help industry partners promote circular economy while improving their operations and business outcomes.

This initiative will strengthen university-community-industry ties, engage students in real-world research, and produce impactful tools—such as mobile apps or dashboards.

Three-Stage Timeline:

Stage 1 (Spring–Fall 2025): Build partnerships, define goals, recruit students.
Stage 2 (Spring–Fall 2026): Run pilots, analyze data, deepen community engagement.
Stage 3 (Spring–Fall 2027): Publish results, scale solutions, and embed sustainable practices long-term.

Action Plan

Action Plan
	Goals	Action Steps	Desired Outcomes
Stage 1: Partnership Development and Pilot Planning (Spring – Fall 2025)	-Establish collaborations with Mill.com and other relevant industry partners. -Define mutual research objectives in areas like consumer behavior, sustainability incentives, and AI-driven tools for engagement. -Lay the groundwork for pilot studies and initial funding support.	-Finalize a partnership agreement with Mill.com and detail shared objectives. Develop and refine project ideas. -Draft a proposal for a pilot study and seek internal or seed funding to support it. Recruit undergraduate and graduate students specializing in data analytics, AI modeling, and behavioral science to contribute to the research. -Identify key metrics for tracking consumer behavior and assessing the sustainability impact.	-A formalized partnership agreement with Mill.com, complete with defined research pilots. -Launch of a pilot project, potentially focusing on consumer value quantification or AI adoption modeling. -Engagement of students in research and provide. opportunities for practical, hands-on learning experiences.
Stage 2: Research Implementation and Community Integration (Spring – Fall 2026)	-Implement and analyze pilot projects. Refine research based on findings. -Expand the impact by sharing results with academic stakeholders and local communities. -Apply for external funding to support continued research and project scaling.	-Gather and analyze data from the initial pilot studies, focusing on key variables such as consumer engagement and sustainability impacts. -Apply for additional external research funding (e.g., NSF Partnerships for Innovation, SBIR, DOE grants). -Integrate the findings into university course content related to business analytics, sustainability, or environmental science. Explore opportunities for collaboration with local government agencies to expand the scope of the pilot studies (e.g., through partnerships with municipal recycling programs).	-Tangible data on consumer behavior and engagement with sustainability tools. -Student contributions to data analysis and the development of AI models. -A formal research proposal aimed at scaling the pilot studies or extending the project into public initiatives. -Increased awareness of the benefits of university-industry collaboration for sustainability.
Stage 3: Scaling and Institutionalization (Spring – Fall 2027)	-Institutionalize long-term partnerships with industry for continued student involvement and research. -Produce publicly visible research that informs circular economy practices on a large scale.	-Establish standard internship and research opportunities in partnership with Mill.com and similar organizations. Co-author peer-reviewed publications detailing AI-driven strategies for sustainability and waste management. -Develop digital tools, such as dashboards, apps, or case studies, to help communities and industries adopt circular economy practices. -Share project outcomes at academic conferences and industry roundtables and position the university as a leader in applied circular economy innovation.	-Long-term, sustainable collaborations with industry partners, fostering continuous student involvement in sustainability research. -Published research in both academic and industry-facing journals. -A scalable model for student engagement in tech-driven sustainability initiatives, offering long-term career opportunities and community impact. -Recognition of the department as a hub for cutting-edge circular economy and sustainability innovation.

Caption: Three-stage plan to promote circular economy through community engagement, industry collaboration, and AI-driven research.

AI-Driven Research Proposal for Circular Economy Engagement

The updated research design integrates five cutting-edge components that shift sustainability research toward real-world impact through collaboration between academia and industry. New features include:

Consumer insights on retired devices
Quantifying perceived value of waste
AI models to forecast waste generation
Optimized pricing for recycling service subscriptions
A sustainability credit score and AI-powered virtual waste coach

These innovations use data to drive behavior change, offering predictive insights, personalized coaching, and incentive-based engagement. The project now delivers practical tools and strategies for partners such as Mill.com—supporting environmental impact and business performance. By emphasizing dynamic consumer patterns and scalable solutions, the project creates hands-on learning opportunities and real-world value for communities and companies alike.

Research proposal leverages AI to promote circular economy practices. See description below image for details.

Caption: Research proposal leverages AI to promote circular economy practices. It offers innovative solutions to address environmental challenges.

Discovering the Power of Community-Engaged Learning

Through the FLC, I discovered the full potential of Sacramento State’s Community Engagement Center. I had only a vague sense of its role before, but now I see how its programs—such as Community-Engaged Learning, academic internships, and the CEC Connect platform—can power meaningful partnerships and hands-on learning. This insight has opened up new ways for me to integrate community-engaged research into my courses, aligning academic goals with real-world sustainability impact. I am now actively exploring partnerships with CEC-affiliated organizations that align with my circular economy work.

Exploring CSUS’s community partner list for collaborative sustainability research.

Caption: Exploring CSUS’s community partner list for collaborative sustainability research.

Moving Forward

I will apply insights from the FLC to deepen my community-engaged research—building strong, lasting partnerships that are both academically rigorous and socially relevant. By involving students, I will create hands-on learning opportunities that connect classroom theory to real-world impact. The collaborative nature of the FLC also allows me to exchange best practices with peers, continuously refining my approach for greater community and university benefi

Faculty Biography
Faculty Picture	About me:
	Mostafa Sabbaghi is an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management at Sacramento State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University at Buffalo. Specializing in behavioral and sustainable operations, remanufacturing, and advanced manufacturing systems, he brings expertise from both academic and industry perspectives. With teaching experience at California State University, Sacramento, and Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Sabbaghi has led courses in Operations Management, Business Analytics, and Supply Chain Management. His research focuses on optimizing product lifecycles, emphasizing sustainability and circular economy practices in supply chains. He has published extensively in high-impact journals and contributed to industry projects on sustainability, circular economy strategies, and consumer behavior, advancing both academic knowledge and practical solutions for sustainable supply chains.

This work was supported by the Community Engagement Center, the Career Center, and the Anchor/Community-Engaged University Collaborative

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